India briefs high-level UN team on concerns over terrorism in South Asia

India has briefed a high-level UN team about its concerns over terrorism in the South Asian region, especially the possible threats from misuse of new and emerging technologies and unmanned aerial systems.

India's concerns were conveyed to the team of experts from the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring team during its visit to the country from March 8 to 10, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The UN experts visited India following an invitation from New Delhi and it was in continuation of regular consultations between the team with key member-states relevant to their mandate, it said.

"A team of experts from the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIL (Da'esh), Al-Qaida and the Taliban supporting the Security Council's 1267 & 1988 Sanction Committees visited India from March 8 to 10," the MEA said.

It said the team held meetings with senior officials in the relevant ministries and was briefed on India's counter-terrorism priorities and concerns, particularly in the South Asia region.

"Discussions were also held on a range of counter-terrorism related subjects, including threats from misuse of new and emerging technologies and unmanned aerial systems for terrorism, linkages between terrorism and organised crime and narco-trafficking as well as unconventional methods of terror financing," the MEA said in a statement.

It is learnt that India's concerns over cross border terrorism from Pakistan as well as the possibility of use of Afghan soil for terror activities were conveyed to the team.

"The monitoring team members also called on Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Deputy National Security Advisor Rajinder Khanna," the MEA said.

India is currently the chair of the UN Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) for 2022 and the visit of the monitoring team provided a useful opportunity to brief them on India's priorities in the CTC, it said.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi met the Director of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

"Happy to meet the visiting Director of SCO RATS Mirzaev Ruslan Erkinovich and had an engaging interaction on the various facets of the work of this SCO body. Strengthening regional cooperation in countering terrorism, drug-trafficking and terror financing were also discussed," Lekhi tweeted.

India has shown keen interest in deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence.